Recently, the United Kingdom Food Standards Agency released the findings of a study concerning children’s behavior and artificial additives.  The findings were presented to the European Food Safety Authority, which is responsible for scientific research and advice concerning food safety policies and procedures in all member nations of the European Union.

 The study, which was done by researchers from the University of Southampton involved 297 children from three to nine years old.  They were given beverages containing red and yellow food colorings and a common food preservative called sodium benzoate.  The conclusions drawn by the researchers were that the artificial food colors and additives made the hyperactive behavior worse in children through middle childhood. 

Although the researchers stressed that the findings are not to be taken as hard evidence of a definite connection between food coloring, additives and hyperactive behavior, they submitted it to the European Food Safety Authority to be included in their deliberations.  The EFSA is currently reviewing the safety of all food additives permitted in the European Union. 

This study is just the latest study enforcing protocols that are used  by LEAP Therapists on a daily basis.  As early as the early 1970’s, Dr. Finegold developed the Finegold Dietary Program to assist parents in helping their children with hyperactive behavior.  The Finegold Program managed a relatively small number of additives to produce minor results, but it was difficult to pinpoint the foods causing the most symptoms.  Dr. Finegold may have been in the right church, but in the wrong pew.   

Since the early 1970’s, various studies have shown a link between various food items and food sensitivities.  Science is starting to understand the link between our immune systems and the foods that we eat.  Many symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia, migraine headaches, autism spectrum disorders, attention deficit disorder and hyperactivity with or without A.D.D. can be reduced with appropriate nutritional intervention.  The real challenge seems to be identifying the foods that are causing the reactions.  The problem of food identification is compounded by the fact that the symptoms may not appear for up to 96 hours after ingestion and may be dose sensitive. 

 Following a blood reactive test for 150 food and food additives, the specially certified LEAP Therapist is able to guide the parents into a healthy eating pattern for the child that excludes the foods to which sensitivity has been demonstrated.  Information is shared that will enable the parents to identify hidden sources of reactive foods or foods in the same family as the reactive foods.  Results of the LEAP protocol can be noted in as little as a week to ten days.